Vibrated conveyer feeder



p; 1938. A. T. HENDRIX VIBRATED CONVEYER'FEEDER Filed July 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l;

FIG.

FIG. 2

'Hndrew T Hendrix INVENTOR BY Mn ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1938. A. T. HENDRIX VIBRATED CONVEYER FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1936 FIG. 3

FIG. 4

Andrew 71 Hendrix INVENTOR I6RNEY Patented Sept. 13, 19381 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 2,129,688 vnsnA'rEn CONVEYEB, FEEDER Andrew '1'. Hendrix, Knoxville, Tenn. Application .luly 20, 1936, Serial No. 91,634

'4 Claims. 7 (or. 83-44). I

'(Gra-ntedunder the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) This application is made under the act of March I 3, 1883, as amended by the act of April 30,=-1928, and the invention herein described, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Gov- 6 ernment for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

'This invention relates to a process of and apparatus for controlling the amount of feed delivered by a vibrated conveyer feeder.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a means for charging a material continuously and uniformly with a minimum of attention by the operator. Another object of this invention is to provide a means of control for the amount of charge delivered by either a mechanical or an under definitely controlled circumstances, taking.

into account variations in the character of the 25 charge, by controlling the operation of a vibrated conveyer feeder by means of a solenoid actuated directly or indirectly by the current demand of the electric motor which is used as the prime mover for the device which is being fed.

30 In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification, and wherein reference symbols refer to like parts whenever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic, vertical, sectional view of one form of apparatus for the embodiment of my invention in a hammer mill,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic, plan, sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, I

Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged diagrammatic, vertical, sectional view of the vibrated conveyer feeder and associated controlling mechanism, Y

' Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic, plan, sectional view of the somewhat enlarged diagrammatic, vertical, sectional view of the vibrated conveyer feeder and associated controlling mechanism as shownin 45 Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1, the-hammer disc I, to which hammers, represented by hammer 3, are attached, is rotated at the appropriate speed by the electric motor 5. The charge to the hammer mill is admitted through the inlet I, onto the mechanically vibrated conveyer screen feeder 9. The feeder 9, is supported at four points by stiff wire members, represented by supports II. The charge which has been advanced to the end of the feeder VII,

55 drops into the body of the hammer milland is r shown attached to the frameof the mill at points pulverized by the successive impacts with the hammers, represented by hammer 3. The material which has been reduced to a sufficient fineness drops out of the mill through the screen I3. It is necessary to regulate the flow of charge delivered by thefeeder 9, first in order to prevent overloading the motor 5, and second, in order to maintain a sufliciently high rate of charge so that the maximum emciency may be obtained from'the motor 5. This regulation of the discharge of charge from feeder 9, is obtained by the use of the dampener I5, the ends of which are attached to the main body of the mill and the base attached tothe core of the solenoid I I. In normal operation, the shoes of the dampener I5, located between the ends and the base, press lightly on the sleeve welded to the underneath side of the feeder 9, through which passes the shaft of the mechanical vibrator. If the amount of charge delivered to the body of the mill gradually exceeds the normal amount of charge, the motor 5, gradually approaches an overloaded condition, under which condition considerable additional current is required to operate the motor. The [solenoid I1, is wired inseries with the motor 5, so that as the load on the motor 5, approaches the full load capacity of the motor, the solenoid I1, gradually actuates the dampener I5,'thereby reducing the amount of charge delivered by the feeder 9. Thus a continuous adjustment takes place so that at all times the maximum amount of charge is being admitted into. the body of the mill with the resulting maximum efliciency of operation without constant personal attention of the operator. v

In Fig. 2, the ends of the dampener I5, are shown. attached to the frame of the mill at points I9, the base of the dampener I5,.is shown attached to the core 2| of the solenoid I'l.

' In Fig. 3, one end of the dampener I5, is shown attached to the frame of the mill at points I9. 40 The base of the dampener I5, is shown attached to the core 2|, of the solenoid I1. The core 2|, of

. the solenoid I1, is supported by an adjustable spring device 22, in orderthat the dampener or 5 I 9, and the base of the dampenerli, is shown attached to the core 2|, of the solenoid II. The shoes 23, of the dampener l5, contact the sleeve 25,'which serves as a bearing for the'shaft 21, of the mechanical vibrator, the principal element of --which is the unbalanced pulleys 29.

c It is evident that there are numerous factors which will influence conditions for the most satisfactory operation of my invention, the actual limits of which cannot be established except by a detailed study of each installation involved.

The-vibrated conveyer feeder may be actuated by either an electrical or mechanical means. The examples of vibration of the conveyer feeder by mechanical means include the use of rotating oifbalance pulleys or rotating cams.

The vibrated conveyer feeder may be used in conjunction with any mechanical device which requires power for, its operation, such as, grinders, mixers, or .even other conveyers. In the operation of this invention it is necessary that the conveyer be operated by means of an electrical motor since the control of the feeder is efiected by taking advantage of the change in current demand of the motor which is used as the prime mover.

The control of the vibrated conveyer feeder is I effective by the use of a vibration dampener with the degree in which this dampener is applied changing the amplitude of the vibration of the feeder and thereby regulating the amount of the feed discharged.- The dampener actually may be constructed in a variety of forms, in-

cluding a simple braking device, a device which .by'an adjustable spring, device in order that the dampener or braking means may be properly adjusted to normal conditions of operation. Y

The vibration control or braking means is actuated by the solenoid. The solenoid may be wired in series with the electric motor and thereby directly influenced by the amount of the current which passes through it. The variation in current demanded by the motor may be used to operate a relay which, in turn, regulates the current required to operate the solenoid independent of the current supply of the motor.

It will be seen, therefore, that this invention actually may be carried out by the modification of certain details without departing from its spirit or scope.

I claim: I

1. Inan apparatus for continuously comminuting a charge, the combination which comprises,

a hammer mill, a vibrated conveyer feeder for' chargingthe hammer mill, an electric motor for driving the hammer mill and for vibrating the conveyer feeder, and a means for dampening the vibrations of the vibrated conveyer feeder, said means comprising a solenoid having a core, the coil of the solenoid being wired in series with the electricmotor and the core of the solenoid connected to the vibrating conveyer feeder to vibrate therewith and to automatically and continuously control the amount of charge to the mill. 2. In an apparatus for continuously comminuting a charge, the combination which comprises, a mill, an electric motor for driving the mill, a vibrated conveyer feeder for charging the mill,

and a means for dampening the vibrations of the vibrated conveyer feeder, said means comprising a solenoid having a core, the coil of the solenoid being wired in series with the electric motor and the core of the solenoid connected to the vibrating conveyer feeder to vibrate therewith and to automatically and continuously control the amount of charge to the mill. I

3. In an apparatus for feeding materials from a vibrated conveyer feeder to a device operated by an electric motor, the combination which comprises, an electric motor for driving the device, a vibrated conveyer feeder, and a means for dampening the vibrations of the vibrated conveyer feeder, said means comprising a'solenoid having a core, the coil of the solenoid being wired in series. with the electric motor and the core of the solenoidconnected to the vibrating conveyer feeder to vibrate therewith and to automatically and continuously control the amount of charge to the device being fed.

4.In an apparatus for feeding materials from a vibrated conveyer feeder to a device operated by an electric motor, the combination which comprises, an electric motor for driving the device, a vibrated conveyer feeder, and a means for dampening the vibrations of the vibrated conveyer feeder, said means comprising an electro-magnet having a coil element and a core element, the coil element of the electro-magnet being wired in series with the electric motor and one of the said elements of the electro-magnet being connected to the vibrating conyeyerfeeder to vibrate therewith and to automatically and continuously control the amount of chargeto the I device being fed.

ANDREW T. HENDRIX. 

